Oregon

Oregon considers universal free lunch, breakfast for K-12 students

Published

1 year ago

February 25, 2025

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Oregon considers universal free lunch, breakfast for K-12 students

Oregon could become the 10th state to offer universal free breakfast and lunch to students.
Lawmakers also propose money for kitchen upgrades and extended breakfast time.
Supporters say universal free meals reduce stigma and improve attendance.

Oregon could become the 10th state in the U.S. to offer universal free meals for students under a bill making its way through the Legislature.

House Bill 3435 would make school meals available to all students at no cost, regardless of their household income. If passed, the law would require all school districts to offer free lunch and breakfast starting in the 2026-27 school year. It would also direct the Department of Education to apply for statewide participation in federal programs and projects that expand access to free or reduced-price meals.

The Oregon House Education Committee held a public hearing on the bill this week. Dozens of people spoke about the importance of providing free breakfasts and lunches.

“As a classroom teacher for many years, I witnessed the impact of hunger on my students,” said Rep. Courtney Neron, D-Wilsonville, one of the chief sponsors. “The effects weren’t only visible in fatigue and stress.

“I also remember high schoolers would skip lunch to avoid the stigma of the free and reduced lunch line,” Neron said. “When we remove that stigma and create the opportunity for shared breakfast and lunches, it helps build community and leads to improved academic performance.”

Neron said the bill also would leverage $4 million in state funding to help the program operate more effectively.

The majority of Oregon schools already provide free breakfast and lunch through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision program, which is available to individual schools and districts. Neron said about 65 schools in Oregon do not qualify for CEP.

Eligible schools are reimbursed for the free breakfast and lunch they provide students. According to HB3435, more than 98% of Oregon schools that qualify for CEP participate in the program.

However, Oregon only reimburses many participating schools at 90% of the federal reimbursement rate.

“Federal funds have limitations on how they can be used, so the state investment fills critical gaps by providing additional grant funding,” Neron said.

In addition to providing universal free meals, the bill would:

Expand time for breakfast until after the bell, allowing more students access to free breakfast.
Maximize federal reimbursements.
Address parents’ school meal debt.
Help schools upgrade kitchen equipment.
Provide grants to schools already participating in the program that have seen an increase in meals served.

Neron said these grants would fund infrastructure improvements to reduce long lunch lines and give students adequate time to eat.

“With uncertainty around federal support for basic assistance programs, House Bill 3435 gives new authority to the Oregon Department of Education and the State Board of Education to help respond to unanticipated changes in regulation or funding,” Neron said.

“We’re so close to becoming the next state to offer universal school meals,” said Rep. Hòa Nguyễn, D-East Portland and Damascus, a sponsor of the legislation. “School meals matter, and the difference that it makes for students, families and communities is incredibly significant.”

Nine states have universal free school meals: California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont and Arkansas.

The stigma around free and reduced-price meals

In addition to state legislators, several group and individual advocates spoke in support of HB 3435. Testimonies ranged from a Roseburg third grader to a “lunch lady veteran” with 30 years of school nutrition service under her belt.

“We’re here because no child should go hungry at school. It’s a really simple premise that have motivated so many of us for the last decades in Oregon to get to this point, and we’re running towards that finish line,” said David Wieland, who works for Partners for Hunger-Free Oregon.

Wieland and several other speakers mentioned the stigma surrounding school meals, with a perception that students who eat school lunches come from lower-income households.

“It’s not just that hungry students act out. It’s that our current school meal system identifies, on a daily basis, which students have money and wealth and which don’t,” Wieland said. “It creates an unconscious bias within the school. We set different expectations, and students are disciplined at a higher rate.”

Rep. Cyrus Javadi, R-North Coast/Astoria, one of the bill’s chief sponsor, shared his personal experience growing up with a free lunch token. He said he was one of four children raised by a single mother who worked three jobs.

“I remember feeling just horrified that kids would know that we were too poor to have lunch … I learned quickly how to act like I wasn’t hungry,” Javadi said. “Today, we have a chance to make sure no student in Oregon has to calculate how long they can hold out until dinner. This bill eliminates a pointless distinction between kids who qualify for a meal and kids who don’t, making sure every student — rich or poor — has access to the same breakfast and lunch. That means no more stigma.”

No one spoke up in opposition to the bill.

Free school meals in Eugene, Springfield, Salem, Portland

Some of the largest districts in the state, including Salem-Keizer, Portland, Beaverton and Hillsboro, all provide free breakfast and lunch. So do all three Eugene-Springfield metro school districts — Eugene School District 4J, Springfield Public Schools and Bethel School District.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Eugene School District 4J, which serves 16,000 students, decided to continue offering free meals. Nutrition Services Director Jill Cuadros said that for two years, the district allocated dollars from its general fund to supplement meals for schools that did not yet qualify for the federal program. However, in October 2023, the USDA adjusted its CEP requirements, making it easier for schools to qualify. The minimum identified student percentage was lowered from 40% to 25%, making all 4J schools eligible for CEP.

Now, 4J serves approximately 12,500 meals a day between both breakfast and lunch.

“When they have the freedom to eat, students end up eating when perhaps they wouldn’t have,” Cuadros said. “They don’t have to think about it. There’s no fear that they’re creating debt that perhaps their families can’t afford. It just becomes a really happy opportunity as a part of their school day. We like it because we know that they’re getting back to class with food in their bellies so they can think.”

Several 4J schools, such as Holt Elementary, have been offering universal free meals for more than a decade.

Cuadros said the cost-saving and time-saving aspect of universal free meals is huge for 4J families.

“Families are so busy, this is one less stop in the morning of things that they have to do, which is put a lunch together or stop for breakfast,” she said. “It is a benefit for families who struggle to make ends meet, but when it comes to time and families’ precious time, I think this is also a benefit for them, that they can just rely on us.”

Unforeseen benefits of free school meals

Cuadros said universal free meals have led to unexpected benefits, particularly at the high school level. School meal consumption went up 566% in 4J high schools. Additionally, attendance in the period following lunch improved. In 4J, all high school students may leave campus for lunch. With more students eating lunch at school, more are staying the rest of the day.

“We’re making space for student voice when it comes to what they see on their menus and things like that,” Cuadros said. “I do think that that makes a difference, but I think the fact that these meals are at no cost to a student is what’s really, really setting that up for them to be successful.”

Eliminating the stigma surrounding school meals has also eased administrative burdens, she said. Instead of spending time going through applications and socioeconomic data for families, Nutrition Services can focus on other projects. Cuadros said 4J has been able to put its efforts into improving the quality of the food it serves students.

4J has shifted back to from-scratch cooking, prioritized seasonal fruits and vegetables, and sourced 40% of its food from Oregon producers.

“I know (HB3435) doesn’t impact my district, but I hope the state as a whole does garner that opportunity,” Cuadros said. “I think schools will be pleased once … they get in there and see those sort of unanticipated outcomes for their students.”

Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr.

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Oregon

New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise

Published

9 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise

Data released by the Oregon Health Authority this week suggests Oregonians are getting hurt on electric scooters more every year.

In recent years, according to OHA, an “e-scooter-specific code” was developed for health care tracking purposes.

From 2021 to 2024, annual injury reports under this code from Oregon hospitals and emergency departments jumped from 211 to 418.

And in just the first nine months of 2025, there had been 509 such reports.

“These injuries are not minor scrapes,” said Dagan Wright, an OHA epidemiologist, in a written statement. “They often involve head injuries, broken bones, and other serious trauma that requires emergency or inpatient care.”

The city of Portland signed contracts with three e-scooter rental companies in 2018, as the transportation craze spread across the country. But e-scooter injury diagnosis codes are relatively new in health care reporting, Wright said in the OHA statement.

“While the overall numbers remain smaller than for other transportation-related injuries, the rapid increase over a short period of time is a clear safety signal,” OHA added.

The agency highlighted the story of Portland e-scooter commuter Daniel Pflieger, who it says was riding a scooter home when he reportedly slid on ice. He bruised several ribs.

Sometimes outcomes are worse. OHA identified 17 deaths linked to electric or motorized scooters since 2018, and seven of those occurred in 2025.

OHA says that e-bikes raise many similar safety concerns as e-scooters. The first full year for which e-bike injuries were coded for reporting was 2023. State data shows 392 reported e-bike injuries that year, 683 in 2024, and 760 in the first nine months of 2025.

“Injuries involving e-bikes and e-scooters share common risk factors—speed, lack of helmet use, roadway design, and interactions with motor vehicles,” Wright said.

Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise (Source: Oregon Health Authority)

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Oregon

Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

Published

21 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

At times, the Oregon women’s basketball team has certainly made things much harder on themselves than it needs to be. The team has also produced some miraculous comeback victories, putting itself in position to make women’s March Madness for the second straight season.

March 1, in their final regular season game, the Ducks (20-11, 8-10 Big Ten) finished on the wrong end of yet another tight game to Washington, 70-69. It’s the second time this season Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, but ended up losing to the Huskies (20-9, 10-8).

Those aren’t the only times Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, like it did in wins vs. Nebraska and USC. The No. 11-seed Ducks are hoping they won’t need heroics in a Big Ten tournament first-round game against No. 14 Purdue this Wednesday.

Watch Oregon basketball on Peacock

“I think our biggest weakness this year has been our inconsistency,” coach Kelly Graves said, “something we’ve battled all year. The great thing is our kids know, regardless of the score, we’ve got a chance. We’ll make it a game at some point. As a coach, it drives you nuts. Hopefully we can figure it out and play more consistent basketball.”

Oregon’s volatility has seen it earn three double-digit comeback wins this year, but also blow several games in the final moments.

Against Wisconsin, the Ducks held a 6-point lead with less than a minute remaining, but lost in overtime. Against Illinois, Oregon held a 21-point lead at halftime, blew it in the third quarter, trailed by eight with minutes to play and somehow eked out a win.

That makes UO somewhat of a wild card heading into the conference tournament this week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“It’s definitely (been) a rollercoaster,” guard Katie Fiso said. “A lot of highs and a lot of lows. But one thing that I try to see through all games is our grittiness and our toughness. One thing that stays consistent throughout the season is our toughness and our grittiness. The game isn’t over until the last bell rings.”

The Ducks will be taking on a Boilermakers (13-16, 5-13) team that has struggled against most of the top competition in the league, but played Oregon tight in a Feb. 25 Ducks win.

Graves said when the Ducks went throughout the postgame handshake line after, the Boilermakers felt like their season would end after the regular season. Thanks to some upsets, Purdue is in the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 14 seed.

“We’re playing a team that probably feels like it’s playing with house money,” Graves said. “We’ve got to pick ourselves back up and get it done.”

What channel is Oregon vs. Purdue on today in Big Ten tournament?

Oregon will tip off vs. Purdue on Peacock, with no TV option to watch the game.

Oregon vs. Purdue start time in Big Ten tournament

Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: Around 5:30 p.m. PT

Oregon and Purdue will play around 5:30 p.m. PT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The first game of the day begins at 12:30 p.m. PT, with the next game 25 minutes after the first game ends, and so on. The Ducks play in the third game of the day, so no official tip time is listed.

Oregon women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Oregon’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 15	Washington 51, Oregon 43
Feb. 19	Oregon 80, Nebraska 76
Feb. 22	Indiana 72, Oregon 65
Feb. 25	Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1	Washington 70, Oregon 69
March 4	Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Purdue women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Purdue’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 14	Purdue 72, Rutgers 57
Feb. 19	Iowa 83, Purdue 74
Feb. 22	Maryland 99, Purdue 66
Feb. 25	Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1	Purdue 67, Northwestern 62
March 4	Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com.

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Oregon

Oregon lawmakers advance one-year moratorium on tax breaks for data centers

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Oregon lawmakers advance one-year moratorium on tax breaks for data centers

Written by Alma McCarty & KGW:

SALEM, Oregon — In the final week of Oregon’s legislative short session, lawmakers in Salem discussed regulating data centers — specifically, placing a one-year moratorium on certain tax breaks.

Governor Tina Kotek has been looking to expand the state’s enterprise zone program, which is intended to grow Oregon companies and attract new ones. Businesses that locate or expand within designated zones can qualify for property tax exemptions on new investments if they meet eligibility requirements.

However, some advocates argue that extending incentives to data centers may not be sustainable long term.

“Data centers have been around for a while,” said Kelly Campbell, policy director for Columbia Riverkeeper. “Data centers are getting bigger and bigger. Some of these new AI hyperscale data centers are exponentially bigger than those tiny ones. They’re really just using a lot of energy, a lot of water.”

However, some advocates argue that extending incentives to data centers may not be sustainable long term.

Last week, Columbia Riverkeeper released a report examining data centers operating or planned along the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington.

“I think the question becomes, do we want to stick to our climate goals of getting to 100% renewable? Or do we want to have these big, mega data centers owned by big tech companies — some of the wealthiest corporations in the world — getting to use whatever energy they want? We would say, no, that’s not OK,” Campbell said.

On Monday, lawmakers amended an economic incentives bill to block new data centers from qualifying for certain tax breaks for one year.

“I think this moratorium is a pretty short pause to give the advisory council time and space to do their work,” said Rep. Nancy Nathanson, D-Eugene, during a subcommittee meeting Monday morning.

The Data Center Advisory Committee, convened by Kotek, held its first meeting Friday. The group’s goal is to develop policy recommendations addressing the rapid growth of data centers.

“There are some businesses that will need them, but freestanding data centers, the way we’ve been growing in the state, is not sustainable,” the Governor told reporters during a press conference last week.

On Monday, her office sent KGW a statement regarding the moratorium:

“The moratorium will address immediate concerns and also allow for the Governor’s Data Center Advisory Committee to develop recommendations to strategically pursue economic development opportunities while ensuring utility costs, infrastructure investments, and environmental impacts remain sustainable and equitable for all residents.”

Supporters of data center growth, particularly in rural communities, also spoke during work sessions.

“This moratorium will have a disparate impact on communities east of the Cascades — communities like Prineville, Hermiston and Redmond that have leveraged enterprise zones and data centers to bring hundreds of living-wage jobs to their communities,” said Alexandra Ring, a lobbyist for the League of Oregon Cities.

“While data centers may be seen as a nuisance or inconvenient in Washington County, they are not in Crook County. They are not in Morrow County, in Umatilla County,” said Sen. Mark McLane, who represents several Eastern Oregon counties, including Baker, Crook, Grant and Harney.

Even if the House and Senate ultimately approve the moratorium, it would apply only to new data centers — not those that already receive tax breaks or projects currently underway.

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